elephant seal

noun

: either of two very large seals (genus Mirounga of the family Phocidae) characterized by a long inflatable proboscis:

a

: one (M. angustirostris) found in Pacific coastal waters from southeastern Alaska to Baja California

b

: one (M. leonina) found in coastal waters of subantarctic islands and Patagonia

Examples of elephant seal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During the haul-out from April through August, in the Tasmanian winter, elephant seals will gather and interact with each other – especially young males who play-fight and spar. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 July 2026

Nearby is the oceanside town of Cambria, also home to a colony of giant elephant seals. — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026

But to marine biologists like Field, Neil is simply doing what young male elephant seals are meant to do, albeit with flair. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 8 July 2026

Sub-Antarctic islands south of Tasmania are home to breeding populations of elephant seals and Neil’s mother would have arrived from one of them to give birth, Volzke said. — ABC News, 3 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for elephant seal

• automobile
• periosteal
• peritoneal
• abele
• alkyl
• anneal
• appeal
• cartwheel
• conceal
• congeal
• coquille
• corneal